A little bit more than patriotism. A little bit lower than jingoism. ---
Nirendra Dev

Friday, October 31, 2014

Muslim Krishna Bhakts - A myth or reality

True, there's been overwhelming response to the previous blog on

'Muslim Krishna bhakts'.

Within four days, the piece has recorded page views of 102.........my first century since 2010 when I started the blog page. Ask cricketers and cricket fans, what does it mean ---yes it makes a difference. It's 'difference' - like that tomato sauce ad used to propound!Notwithstanding 102 page views to the particular blog and average over 50 views in last two days, the piece has not fetched much comments either on social networking sites or formally to the blog itself. But a few friends including from abroad have spoken about it and even shared their views in private messages. Some of them are worth sharing it out but by applying the golden rule of Journalism that a source who wants to remain anonymous should remain unnamed, I cannot reveal the names of the individuals.A learned friend said jokingly, : do I have to have views on everything?
Well, taking a cue from the Late P V Narasimha Rao, I ought to say, "not to give opinion is also an opinion".
Right or wrong? Or both? Well, this was on the lighter side.

More seriously, among few mails/messages, worth mentioning here: a common refrain especially from Muslim friends have been:

"the concept of Krishna Bhakts among Muslims is a misnomer and a mere propaganda."

Obviously, a few named ISKCON. We will not go into it.

Another reaction was equally exemplary:

There is no manifestly any such individual or a sect of Krishna bhakts. But certainly the mystical orders in Islam especially which flourished in India during last one thousand years definitely have Hindu Philosophical concepts partially or fully adopted to justify their legality (read acceptability) for the non-Muslim audience.

Another comment was quite run-of-the-mill kind:

--- You find exceptions in almost every religion. Respect for each religion is cherished by some individuals and yes, Muslims too respect other religion from the core of their heart - possibly like Hindus respect Sikhism or there could be Jesus Christ bhakts (or admirers) among Hindus and Jains too.

(These views
are shared here because I am also getting few curious messages wanting to know how
are the patrons of my blog piece reacted to piece or more so to the very idea
of Muslim Devotees of Lord Krishna.

But my favourite comment has been:

We have Nazir
Akbarabadis and Maulana Hasrat Mohani and others too who wrote poetry on Lord Krishna.

Why not? Lord Krishna has been rightly symbolized as the
romantic embodiment of divine existence not only in Brij Bhasha or and Hindi
poetry of the 16th century but also in Urdu poetry. Poets like Maulana Hasrat
Mohani took pride in proclaiming himself a Krishna Bhakt.

About Me

Author of 'Rainbows and Misty Sky: Windows to North East India';
'HEART ALONE' (A collection of short stories), 'Modi to Moditva: An Uncensored Truth' and other books, 'Ayodhya: Battle for Peace' (2011) ‘Godhra – A Journey To Mayhem’ (2004) and ‘The Talking Guns: North East India’ (2008).